Page:The grammar of English grammars.djvu/584

 greatest masterpiece that ever was executed by any hand''." But these assertions differ much in their import.

NOTE II.--"The adjuncts of the nominative do not control its agreement with the verb; as, Six months' interest was due. The progress of his forces was impeded."--W. Allen's Gram., p. 131. "The ship, with all her furniture, was destroyed."--Murray's Gram., p. 150. "All appearances of modesty are favourable and prepossessing."--Blair's Rhet., p. 308. "The power of relishing natural enjoyments is soon gone."--''Fuller, on the Gospel'', p. 135. "I, your master, command you (not commands)"-- Latham's Hand-Book, p. 330.[390]

NOTE III.--Any phrase, sentence, mere word, or other sign, taken as one whole, and made the subject of an assertion, requires a verb in the third person singular; as, "To lie is base."--Adam's Gram., p. 154. "When, to read and write, was of itself an honorary distinction."--Hazlitt's Lect., p. 40. "To admit a God and then refuse to worship him, is a modern and inconsistent practice."--Fuller, on the Gospel, p. 30. "We is a personal pronoun."--L. Murray's Gram., p. 227. "Th has two sounds."--Ib., p. 161. "The 's is annexed to each."--Bucke's Gram., p. 89. "Ld. stands for lord."--Webster's American Dict., 8vo.

NOTE IV.--The pronominal adjectives, each, one,[391] either, and neither, are always in the third person singular; and, when they are the leading words in their clauses, they require verbs and pronouns to agree with them accordingly: as, "Each of you is entitled to his share."--"Let no one deceive himself."

NOTE V.--A neuter or a passive verb between two nominatives should be made to agree with that which precedes it;[392] as, "Words are wind:" except when the terms are transposed, and the proper subject is put after the verb by question or hyperbaton; as, "His pavilion were dark waters and thick clouds of the sky."--Bible. "Who art thou?"--Ib. "The wages of sin is death."--''Ib. Murray, Comly'', and others. But, of this last example, Churchill says, "Wages are the subject, of which it is affirmed, that they are death."--New Gram., p. 314. If so, is ought to be are; unless Dr. Webster is right, who imagines wages to be singular, and cites this example to prove it so. See his Improved Gram., p. 21.

NOTE VI.--When the verb cannot well be made singular, the nominative should be made plural, that they may agree: or, if the verb cannot be plural, let the nominative be singular. Example of error: "For every one of them know their